The Solitary Rambler

On the fringe of the Forest of Dean lies Newent, which grew in importance from Roman times as both a centre for iron making and a market. The surrounding countryside is well-known for its abundance of wild spring daffodils, but as my walk to nearby Acorn Wood demonstrates, the rolling countryside is beautiful all year…..

Locations

Filmed in the Forest of Dean in the county of Gloucestershire. Locations include Newent, Acorn Wood, Clifford’s Mesne and the International Centre for Birds of Prey. This is part of the series of films in 2018 celebrating 25 years of “The Solitary Rambler”.

Background and production details

I had pre-booked a couple of night’s stay in the Premier Inn near Ross-on-Wye in the middle of July 2018, so whilst staying there I looked to filming in a location within the Forest of Dean fairly nearby. I decided on Newent, another location in the Forest of Dean I hadn’t previously featured. There was a walk in one of my walking guidebooks from Newent to Acorn wood, a circular route of about 5 miles, so I looked to film this.

On Monday 16th July I drove from Ross to Newent, a nice short trip. Parking in the main car park in the town centre I captured many shots of Newent, particularly around the Market Square and Church Street. I also filmed the church before starting the walk, which began along Bradfords Lane, past Newent Arboretum, through fields of maize and eventually leading into Acorn Wood. From here the walk doubled back to the edge of Clifford’s Mesne, beyond where I passed the International Centre for Birds of Prey. The walk then led though fields and woods back to Newent. The last shots of the day were taken at Newent Lake.